Veteran’s Career Development
John Merladet, Ph.D., MBA, L.P.
Psychologist
CWT/Polytrauma Program
Steve Koenig, MBA, PMP, Lean Six Sigma
Deluxe Corporation &
MN Army National Guard, Staff Sergeant
Statement of no dual relationship or
Conflict of interest
• Presenters make no representations direct or
implied in the media and images presented in
this presentation beyond their use as
examples to illustrate points discussed in this
presentation. All media and images are
available in the public domain. I am the
Treasure of the MCDA.
Who is Dr. Merladet -- www.cwt.va.gov
• Screenings for VA Re-employment program
• Interventions: Coaching Psychology, MI, PS, ACT
• Employer Consultation and Training in HR
• Post Secondary Guidance
• Assessments: Developmental, Personality and Career
• Adjunct Instructor Argosy University: IO Psychology and
the Business School
• Summit Leadership Consulting
Who is Steve Koenig
• 16 Year Veteran of the Army and Minnesota
National Guard
• Successful Entrepreneur and Businessman
• Local Resident, Family Man and Volunteer
• MBA
• PMP
• Lean Six Sigma
Agenda for Today
• What is career development related to vets.
• How does the Military influence the process.
• Examine some career forestalls seen in todays
OEF/OIF/OND Veterans.
• How can one be a change agent in a vet’s
career path.
• Q&A
The Veteran Experience
by
Ad Counsel
Why is this Important now
• We are living in a VUCA World
Eric. G. Kail,
-United States Military Academy
-Currently the course director for our military leadership
instruction within the Department of Behavioral Sciences &
Leadership
-Battalion Commander at 1st Battalion, 38th Field Artillery
Regiment Colonel
V— Variability
U— Uncertainty
C— Chaotic
A— Ambiguity
The Struggle
What did Walt Disney and Christopher Columbus have
in Common with what todays talent needs?
And
1930s
1400s
Types of jobs that will be in demand for
a long time to come
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the great corroborators
the great leveragers
the great synthesizers
the passionate personalizers
the great localizers
the “green ones”
the great explainers and
the great adapters.
Consequence
Paul Potts Sings Nessun Dorma
Career Theory In Review
Parsons
Dawis/Lofquist
Holland
Super
– Trait and Factor
– Theory of Work Adjustment
– Person-Environment Matching
– Life Span/Life Space
Krumboltz
– Social Learning Theory of Career
Decision Making / Learning Theory
of Career Counseling
– Circumscription, Compromise, and
Self-Creation
Gottfredson
Third Generation
Lent, Brown, & Hackett
– Social Cognitive Career Theory
(SCCT)
Peterson, Sampson,
Reardon, & Lenz
– Cognitive Information Processing
(CIP)
Hansen
– Integrative Life Planning (ILP)
Brown
– Holistic/Values Based
Post Modern
Sue & Sue
Young & Cochran
Hansen
Miller
– Diverse populations/identity
/gender/GLBT/ Diversity Management
– Contextualization & Construtivits
– Integrative Life Planning (ILP)
– Hapanstance/Chance in Career choice
Steve’s stuff
World of Work Effects
Father Knows Best . . .
Continue with John’s stuff
School
And
Take home points
Psychological Inflexibility
when addressing back to school
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Too Old
Not smart enough
What if I get into an argument
I don’t fit in
I’ll get flashbacks
Fear and no confidence
They are too young
I don’t like crowds
I have memory problems
I feel like a freshman
Competency v Confidence
• Transition Difficulties.
• Peer Engagement.
• Mental Health Needs of
the veteran.
• Academic Preparedness
(specialized tutors).
• Financial Aid/Benefits
• Early experiences in
school.
• Perceived self efficacy
about achievement in
general.
Veteran Feedback Post First Semester
in Post Secondary
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“I absorb energy from the other students…”
“Average age is 31… just like me…”
“I feel so much better…”
“I am first one in class so I can rule out the students coming in as
not threats…its also gives me a chance to relax before class time…”
• “I like learning…”
• “I sit as close to the professor to keep focused…in HS I would move
away from teachers...the further the better…”
• “I sit in front of class to make speeches in speech class, standing at
podium gives me flashbacks backs…”
CASE EXAMPLES
What About Veterans with Disabilities
Returning to Work & School
Can he work?
Evidenced Based Supported
Employment
Assume Employability Early in Treatment
Benefits Counseling
Assertive Engagement and Outreach
Rapid Job Search
Ongoing Assessment in the Context of
Treatment; all stakeholders Involved
Follow-along Supports
Elimination of Readiness Criteria for
Access to Employment
Employment Outcomes are a Function of
Rehabilitation and Treatment
The Only Criteria for Supported
Employment is the Desire to Work
Zero Exclusion
Build Confidence About One’s Ability to
Work Through Encouragement and
Support
Integration of Voc Rehab with Treatment
Competitive Employment
Promoting Active Treatment and Dignity
of Risk in Pursuing Normative Life
Experiences / Employment
Supported Education
• Civilian SEd programs embedded in health care host
institutions have shown effectiveness both in SEd
models with loose collaboration (health facility mobile
vans bring their clients to campuses and provide
ongoing support to attend mainstream classes and to
broker with college staff/services) and close
collaboration with post-secondary institutions (health
institution staff have an established office on campus,
college faculty come to the health care facility to
conduct self-contained cohort academic readiness
classes, college faculty offer self-contained cohort
classes to the health institution’s identified patients,
etc.).
This could be you.
The Encourager of Others!
Breakthroughs
Possibilities
Achievement
Purpose
Denny Stockdale
Visionary
Encouragement
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Being honest
Confidential
Listening with open heart and mind
Constructive feedback
Ask questions to clarify understating
Compassion
Without for too much accountability
Remember strengths
Focusing on the can-do’s
A shift in paradigm
Not
• what’s wrong,
but what’s right!
• what’s missing,
but what’s there!
• about a
destination, but
a journey!
Contact Information
John Merladet
Steve Koenig
612-467-1078
612-790-1010
John.Merladet@va.gov
StevenKoenig2000@yahoo.com